Fairyhouse Jumps Racing Preview for Sunday, November 28

There’s an intriguing card shaping up at Fairyhouse this Sunday and we’ll be examining each race in an attempt to get the early edge on what should be a very exciting day of action over timber.

12:15

We’re kicking things off with a Grade 3 hurdle contest for three year-olds going 2m over what’s expected to be soft going. Both Accidental Outlaw and Days Ahead deserve respect but you can expect TONER D’OUDAIRIES to be a force to be reckoned with in this one as he flourishes on softer going and has hit at 50%, winning two of his four career runs. He should go off at a nice price as well and looks in the reckoning based on class.

12:45

A 2m4f chase for mares is set to unfold here and consistent eight year-old LEANNE could be set to make a real statement if she gets Colgan up for this one. She’s had two runs since a summer lay-off, finishing third at Listowel and then scoring over the distance at Clonmel in late October.

A 14-strong field is a tough one to navigate and the spoiler play looks to be either Inch Native or Shuil Aris- who boasts a strong course and distance reference. She hasn’t scored without Ruby Walsh aboard for the trip since mid-2006.

1:15

Eight line up for this 2m novice hurdle and a number of contenders are taking their first crack at graded action and it’s a big step up as this race is Grade 1-rated. MOUNT HELICON recently captured a Grade 3 contest at Cork just three weeks ago, which gives him a real edge against this type of competition. He actually ran at Cheltenham just the other day and finished a respectable third in a Grade 2 novice hurdle.

Oilily will be looking to take advantage of a few pounds on the rest of the field here and she also comes into this race having never finished outside the top two in her four tries at the hurdles. She is a Grade 3 winner and Grade 2 placed so she should be there in the reckoning. Helicon/Oilily forecast, anyone?

1:50

A classy field lines up for this 2m4f Grade 1 novice chase and it’s very tough to bet against multiple top-level winner MIKAEL D’HAGUENET in this one. He won’t have Ruby up this time but should be able to make due as he relishes the distance and should be able to deploy the experience he picked up in Grade 1 scores at Cheltenham and Punchestown.

This is a big-day jumper and the talented six year-old still has plenty of chance to show real improvement. Head of the Posse will take some money while Back of the Pack is expected to have a real go at things with a five pound advantage on the rest of the field.

2:20

This is probably one of the best races to unfold all weekend and the Grade 1 Hatton’s Grace Hurdle seldom disappoints. Willy Mullins and HURRICANE FLY are set to battle it out against the popular contender SOLWHIT with both runners boasting course wins and distance wins at various points in their hudling careers.

Oscar Dan Dan boasts a proper course and distance reference and he really showed a lot of class when he finished sixth to the now legendary Big Buck’s at Cheltenham in the Ladbroke. He’s just a step too far up in this contest but he will take advantage of any mistake from the top two. Powerstation is probably the biggest spoiler here and he could very well be worth an each-way shout.

2:55

This race is a really tricky one as fourteen line up for a massive 3m5f handicap chase with no serious form standouts in the reckoning. Mouse Morris’ VENALMAR was a beaten favourite last time out when pulled up in a beginners chase at Fairyhouse with AJ McNamara given the mount. He has shown acumen in the past and looked great at Cheltenham back in 2008 when finishing second in a novice hurdle on the festival undercard.

Bally Wall is another to take a look at here as he was just headed on the run-in to finish second against a short field at Carlisle at 3m1f. He was probably undone by the heavy going that day and could turn it all around here though he remains a lukewarm play.

3:25

As usual we’ll be ending a high-class day of Irish jumping action with an INH flat contest going 2m. This is sort of an obscure bunch to choose from but an interesting bash on HARPSY CORD could pay dividends as the 4 year-old son of Accordion comes into this one 1/1 as he comes in off a point-to-point victory at Dromahane.

Soul of Aran and Tom Horn are more straightforward wagers and they are both beaten favourites coming into this one. It really could just come down to positioning and who gets a quality trip and that can be a tough nut to crack on the Pro/Am Irish circuit.